USFS temporarily lifts West Bend closure area

The Deschutes National Forest has temporarily lifted the area closure in West Bend, north of Cascade Lakes Highway and south of Forest Road 4601, from the Cascade Lakes Welcome Station west to the Storm King Trail. Trails include COD and Grand Slam as well as numerous forest roads.

The closure has been temporarily lifted because timber harvesting operations are currently not taking place in this area, officials said Wednesday. Subsoiling and mowing activity will continue to take place in the area but do not pose a threat to the public using the trails and roads.

Forest officials anticipate they will need to reinstitute the closure when operations resume after Labor Day.

Log truck traffic will continue operating on Forest Roads 4110, 4615 and 4610 and Forest Road 41. Forest officials encourage visitors to use caution when driving on or camping near these roads.

The Forest Service encourages visitors to KNOW BEFORE YOU GO by bookmarking their interactive map: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/webmaps/deschutes/west-bend/